116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 299 

AN ACT 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify presumptions relating to the exposure of certain veterans who 

served in the vicinity of the Republic of Vietnam, and 

for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Blue Water Navy Viet3 nam Veterans Act of 2019’’. 

4 SEC. 2. CLARIFICATION OF PRESUMPTIONS OF EXPOSURE 

5 FOR VETERANS WHO SERVED IN VICINITY OF 

6 REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 

8 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116 

9 the following new section: 

10 ‘‘§ 1116A. Presumptions of service connection for vet11 erans who served offshore of the Repub12 lic of Vietnam 

13 ‘‘(a) SERVICE CONNECTION.—For the purposes of 

14 section 1110 of this title, and subject to section 1113 of 

15 this title, a disease covered by section 1116 of this title 

16 becoming manifest as specified in that section in a veteran 

17 who, during active military, naval, or air service, served 

18 offshore of the Republic of Vietnam during the period be19 ginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, 

20 shall be considered to have been incurred in or aggravated 

21 by such service, notwithstanding that there is no record 

22 of evidence of such disease during the period of such serv23 ice. 

24 ‘‘(b) EXPOSURE.—A veteran who, during active mili25 tary, naval, or air service, served offshore of the Republic 

26 of Vietnam during the period beginning on January 9, 
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1 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975, shall be presumed to 

2 have been exposed during such service to an herbicide 

3 agent unless there is affirmative evidence to establish that 

4 the veteran was not exposed to any such agent during that 

5 service. 

6 ‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE OF AWARD.—(1) Except as 

7 provided by paragraph (2), the effective date of an award 

8 under this section shall be determined in accordance with 

9 section 5110 of this title. 

10 ‘‘(2)(A) Notwithstanding subsection (g) of section 

11 5110 of this title, the Secretary shall determine the effec12 tive date of an award based on a claim under this section 

13 for an individual described in subparagraph (B) by treat14 ing the date on which the individual filed the prior claim 

15 specified in clause (i) of such subparagraph as the date 

16 on which the individual filed the claim so awarded under 

17 this section. 

18 ‘‘(B) An individual described in this subparagraph is 

19 a veteran, or a survivor of a veteran, who meets the fol20 lowing criteria: 

21 ‘‘(i) The veteran or survivor submitted a claim 

22 for disability compensation on or after September 

23 25, 1985, and before January 1, 2020, for a disease 

24 covered by this section, and the claim was denied by 

25 reason of the claim not establishing that the disease 
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1 was incurred or aggravated by the service of the vet2 eran. 

3 ‘‘(ii) The veteran or survivor submits a claim 

4 for disability compensation on or after January 1, 

5 2020, for the same condition covered by the prior 

6 claim under clause (i), and the claim is approved 

7 pursuant to this section. 

8 ‘‘(d) DETERMINATION OF OFFSHORE.—Notwith9 standing any other provision of law, for purposes of this 

10 section, the Secretary shall treat a location as being off11 shore of Vietnam if the location is not more than 12 nau12 tical miles seaward of a line commencing on the south13 western demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and 

14 Cambodia and intersecting the following points: 

‘‘Points Geographic Names Latitude 

North 

Longitude 

East 

At Hon Nhan Island, Tho Chu Archipelago Kien 

Giang Province 9°15.0′ 103°27.0′ 

At Hon Da Island southeast of Hon Khoai Island 

Minh Hai Province 8°22.8′ 104°52.4′ 

At Tai Lon Islet, Con Dao Islet in Con Dao-Vung 

Toa Special Sector 8°37.8′ 106°37.5′ 

At Bong Lai Islet, Con Dao Islet 8°38.9′ 106°40.3′ 

At Bay Canh Islet, Con Dao Islet 8°39.7′ 106°42.1′ 

At Hon Hai Islet (Phu Qui group of islands) Thuan 

Hai Province 9°58.0′ 109°5.0′ 

At Hon Doi Islet, Thuan Hai Province 12°39.0′ 109°28.0′ 

At Dai Lanh point, Phu Khanh Province 12°53.8′ 109°27.2′ 

At Ong Can Islet, Phu Khanh Province 13°54.0′ 109°21.0′ 

At Ly Son Islet, Nghia Binh Province 15°23.1′ 109° 9.0′ 
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‘‘Points Geographic Names Latitude 

North 

Longitude 

East 

At Con Co Island, Binh Tri Thien Province 17°10.0′ 107°20.6′ 

1 ‘‘(e) HERBICIDE AGENT.—In this section, the term 

2 ‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given that term in sec3 tion 1116(a)(3) of this title.’’. 

4 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

5 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

6 after the item relating to section 1116 the following new 

7 item: 

‘‘1116A. Presumptions of service connection for veterans who served offshore of 

the Republic of Vietnam.’’. 

8 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

9 (1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 

10 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

11 issue guidance to implement section 1116A of title 

12 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 

13 before prescribing new regulations under such sec14 tion. 

15 (2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days 

16 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec17 retary shall submit a report to the Committees on 

18 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

19 and the Senate regarding the plans of the Sec20 retary— 

21 (i) to conduct outreach under subsection 

22 (d); and 
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1 (ii) to respond to inquiries from veterans 

2 regarding claims for disability compensation 

3 under section 1116A of title 38, United States 

4 Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section. 

5 (B) On a quarterly basis during the period be6 ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 

7 ending on the date on which regulations are pre8 scribed to carry out such section 1116A, the Sec9 retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 

10 Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Sen11 ate updates on the status of such regulations. 

12 (3) PENDING CASES.— 

13 (A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 

14 may stay a claim described in subparagraph 

15 (B) until the date on which the Secretary com16 mences the implementation of such section 

17 1116A. 

18 (B) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim de19 scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for dis20 ability compensation— 

21 (i) relating to the service and diseases 

22 covered by such section 1116A; and 

23 (ii) that is pending at the Veterans 

24 Benefits Administration or the Board of 

25 Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of 
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1 the enactment of this Act and before the 

2 date on which the Secretary commences 

3 the implementation of such section 1116A. 

4 (d) OUTREACH.— 

5 (1) REQUIREMENT.—The Secretary of Veterans 

6 Affairs shall conduct outreach to inform veterans de7 scribed in paragraph (2) of the ability to submit a 

8 claim for disability compensation under section 

9 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

10 subsection (a). Such outreach shall include the fol11 lowing: 

12 (A) The Secretary shall publish on the 

13 website of the Department a notice that a vet14 erans described in paragraph (2) may submit or 

15 resubmit a claim for disability compensation 

16 under such section 1116A. 

17 (B) The Secretary shall notify in writing 

18 the veteran service organization community of 

19 the ability of veterans described in paragraph 

20 (2) to submit or resubmit claims for disability 

21 compensation under such section 1116A. 

22 (2) VETERAN DESCRIBED.—A veteran described 

23 in this paragraph is a veteran who, during active 

24 military, naval, or air service, served offshore of the 
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1 Republic of Vietnam during the period beginning on 

2 January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 1975. 

3 (e) REPORTS.—Not later than January 1, 2021, and 

4 annually thereafter for 2 years, the Secretary of Veterans 

5 Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Af6 fairs of the House of Representatives and the Senate a 

7 report regarding claims for disability compensation under 

8 section 1116A of title 38, United States Code, as added 

9 by subsection (a). Each report shall include, with respect 

10 to the calendar year preceding the report, disaggregated 

11 by the regional offices of the Department of Veterans Af12 fairs, the following: 

13 (1) The number of claims filed under such sec14 tion. 

15 (2) The number of such claims granted. 

16 (3) The number of such claims denied. 

17 (f) HEALTH CARE.—Section 1710(e)(4) of title 38, 

18 United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘(including 

19 offshore of such Republic as described in section 1116A(d) 

20 of this title)’’ after ‘‘served on active duty in the Republic 

21 of Vietnam’’. 

22 (g) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

23 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 
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1 SEC. 3. PRESUMPTION OF HERBICIDE EXPOSURE FOR CER2 TAIN VETERANS WHO SERVED IN KOREA. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 11 of title 38, United 

4 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1116A, 

5 as added by section 2, the following new section: 

6 ‘‘§ 1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for cer7 tain veterans who served in Korea 

8 ‘‘(a) PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE-CONNECTION.—(1) 

9 For the purposes of section 1110 of this title, and subject 

10 to section 1113 of this title, a disease specified in sub11 section (b) that becomes manifest as specified in that sub12 section in a veteran described in paragraph (2) shall be 

13 considered to have been incurred or aggravated in the line 

14 of duty in the active military, naval, or air service, not15 withstanding that there is no record of evidence of such 

16 disease during the period of such service. 

17 ‘‘(2) A veteran described in this paragraph is a vet18 eran who, during active military, naval, or air service, 

19 served in or near the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), 

20 during the period beginning on September 1, 1967, and 

21 ending on August 31, 1971. 

22 ‘‘(b) DISEASES.—A disease specified in this sub23 section is— 

24 ‘‘(1) a disease specified in paragraph (2) of 

25 subsection (a) of section 1116 of this title that be26 comes manifest as specified in that paragraph; or 
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1 ‘‘(2) any additional disease that— 

2 ‘‘(A) the Secretary determines in regula3 tions warrants a presumption of service-connec4 tion by reason of having positive association 

5 with exposure to an herbicide agent; and 

6 ‘‘(B) becomes manifest within any period 

7 prescribed in such regulations. 

8 ‘‘(c) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec9 tion, the term ‘herbicide agent’ has the meaning given 

10 such term in section 1821(d) of this title.’’. 

11 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

12 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by inserting 

13 after the item relating to section 1116A, as added by sec14 tion 2, the following new item: 

‘‘1116B. Presumption of herbicide exposure for certain veterans who served in 

Korea.’’. 

15 (c) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

16 (1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 

17 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

18 issue guidance to implement section 1116B of title 

19 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), 

20 before prescribing new regulations under such sec21 tion. 

22 (2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days 

23 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec24 retary shall submit a report to the Committees on 
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1 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

2 and the Senate regarding the plans of the Secretary 

3 to respond to inquiries from veterans regarding 

4 claims for disability compensation under section 

5 1116B of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

6 subsection (a) of this section. 

7 (B) On a quarterly basis during the period be8 ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 

9 ending on the date on which regulations are pre10 scribed to carry out such section 1116B, the Sec11 retary shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ 

12 Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Sen13 ate updates on the status of such regulations. 

14 (3) PENDING CASES.— 

15 (A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 

16 may stay a claim described in subparagraph 

17 (B) until the date on which the Secretary com18 mences the implementation of section 1116B of 

19 title 38, United States Code, as added by sub20 section (a). 

21 (B) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim de22 scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for dis23 ability compensation— 

24 (i) relating to the service and diseases 

25 covered by such section 1116B; and 
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1 (ii) that is pending at the Veterans 

2 Benefits Administration or the Board of 

3 Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of 

4 the enactment of this Act and before the 

5 date on which the Secretary commences 

6 the implementation of such section 1116B. 

7 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

8 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 

9 SEC. 4. BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN OF CERTAIN THAILAND 

10 SERVICE VETERANS BORN WITH SPINA 

11 BIFIDA. 

12 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter III of chapter 18 of 

13 title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

14 end the following new section: 

15 ‘‘§ 1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand 

16 service veterans born with spina bifida 

17 ‘‘(a) BENEFITS AUTHORIZED.—The Secretary may 

18 provide to any child of a veteran of covered service in 

19 Thailand who is suffering from spina bifida the health 

20 care, vocational training and rehabilitation, and monetary 

21 allowance required to be paid to a child of a Vietnam vet22 eran who is suffering from spina bifida under subchapter 

23 I of this chapter as if such child of a veteran of covered 

24 service in Thailand were a child of a Vietnam veteran who 

25 is suffering from spina bifida under such subchapter. 
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1 ‘‘(b) SPINA BIFIDA CONDITIONS COVERED.—This 

2 section applies with respect to all forms and manifesta3 tions of spina bifida, except spina bifida occulta. 

4 ‘‘(c) VETERAN OF COVERED SERVICE IN THAI5 LAND.—For purposes of this section, a veteran of covered 

6 service in Thailand is any individual, without regard to 

7 the characterization of that individual’s service, who— 

8 ‘‘(1) served in the active military, naval, or air 

9 service in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary 

10 in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, dur11 ing the period beginning on January 9, 1962, and 

12 ending on May 7, 1975; and 

13 ‘‘(2) is determined by the Secretary, in con14 sultation with the Secretary of Defense, to have been 

15 exposed to a herbicide agent during such service in 

16 Thailand. 

17 ‘‘(d) HERBICIDE AGENT.—For purposes of this sec18 tion, the term ‘herbicide agent’ means a chemical in a her19 bicide used in support of United States and allied military 

20 operations in Thailand, as determined by the Secretary in 

21 consultation with the Secretary of Defense, during the pe22 riod beginning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 

23 7, 1975.’’. 

24 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO DEFINITION OF

25 ‘‘CHILD’’.—Section 1831(1) of such title is amended— 
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1 (1) in subparagraph (B)— 

2 (A) by striking ‘‘subchapter III of this 

3 chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘section 1821 of this 

4 title’’; and 

5 (B) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘section 1821 

6 of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘that section’’; and 

7 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub8 paragraph: 

9 ‘‘(C) For purposes of section 1822 of this 

10 title, an individual, regardless of age or marital 

11 status, who— 

12 ‘‘(i) is the natural child of a veteran 

13 of covered service in Thailand (as deter14 mined for purposes of that section); and 

15 ‘‘(ii) was conceived after the date on 

16 which that veteran first entered service de17 scribed in subsection (c) of that section.’’. 

18 (c) CLERICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

19 (1) SUBCHAPTER HEADING.—The heading for 

20 subchapter III of chapter 18 of such title is amend21 ed by inserting ‘‘AND THAILAND’’ after 

22 ‘‘KOREA’’. 

23 (2) TABLE OF SECTIONS.—The table of sections 

24 at the beginning of chapter 18 of such title is 

25 amended— 
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1 (A) by striking the item relating to sub2 chapter III and inserting the following new 

3 item: 

‘‘SUBCHAPTER III—CHILDREN OF CERTAIN KOREA AND THAILAND SERVICE

VETERANS BORN WITH SPINA BIFIDA’’; 

4 and 

5 (B) by inserting after the item relating to 

6 section 1821 the following new item: 

‘‘1822. Benefits for children of certain Thailand service veterans born with spina 

bifida.’’. 

7 (d) IMPLEMENTATION.— 

8 (1) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 

9 of such title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may 

10 issue guidance to implement section 1822 of title 38, 

11 United States Code, as added by subsection (a), be12 fore prescribing new regulations under such section. 

13 (2) UPDATES.—(A) Not later than 120 days 

14 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec15 retary shall submit a report to the Committees on 

16 Veterans’ Affairs of the House of Representatives 

17 and the Senate regarding the plans of the Secretary 

18 to respond to inquiries from veterans regarding 

19 claims for disability compensation under section 

20 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added by 

21 subsection (a) of this section. 

22 (B) On a quarterly basis during the period be23 ginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and 
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1 ending on the date on which regulations are pre2 scribed to carry out such section 1822, the Secretary 

3 shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs 

4 of the House of Representatives and the Senate up5 dates on the status of such regulations. 

6 (3) PENDING CASES.— 

7 (A) AUTHORITY TO STAY.—The Secretary 

8 may stay a claim described in subparagraph 

9 (B) until the date on which the Secretary com10 mences the implementation of section 1822 of 

11 title 38, United States Code, as added by sub12 section (a). 

13 (B) CLAIMS DESCRIBED.—A claim de14 scribed in this subparagraph is a claim for ben15 efits— 

16 (i) relating to the spina bifida and 

17 service covered by such section 1822; and 

18 (ii) that is pending at the Veterans 

19 Benefits Administration or the Board of 

20 Veterans’ Appeals on or after the date of 

21 the enactment of this Act and before the 

22 date on which the Secretary commences 

23 the implementation of such section 1822. 

24 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 

25 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans 
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1 Affairs, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, 

2 shall submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of 

3 the House of Representatives and the Senate a report 

4 identifying— 

5 (1) the military installations of the United 

6 States located in Thailand during the period begin7 ning on January 9, 1962, and ending on May 7, 

8 1975, at which an herbicide agent (as defined in sec9 tion 1822 of title 38, United States Code, as added 

10 by subsection (a)) was actively used; and 

11 (2) the period of such use. 

12 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

13 this section shall take effect on January 1, 2020. 

14 SEC. 5. UPDATED REPORT ON CERTAIN GULF WAR ILLNESS 

15 STUDY. 

16 Not later than 180 days after the date of the enact17 ment of this Act, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall 

18 submit to the Committees on Veterans’ Affairs of the 

19 House of Representatives and the Senate an updated re20 port on the findings, as of the date of the updated report, 

21 of the Follow-up Study of a National Cohort of Gulf War 

22 and Gulf Era Veterans under the epidemiology program 

23 of the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
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1 SEC. 6. LOANS GUARANTEED UNDER HOME LOAN PRO2 GRAM OF DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AF3 FAIRS. 

4 (a) ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN LIMIT.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3703(a)(1) of title 

6 38, United States Code, is amended— 

7 (A) in subparagraph (A)— 

8 (i) in clause (i)(IV), by striking ‘‘the 

9 lesser of the maximum guaranty amount 

10 (as defined in subparagraph (C)) or’’; and 

11 (ii) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘sub12 paragraph (B) of this paragraph’’ and in13 serting ‘‘subparagraph (B) or (C)’’; 

14 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

15 (i) by striking ‘‘The maximum’’ and 

16 inserting ‘‘With respect to loans described 

17 in subclauses (I), (II), or (III) of subpara18 graph (A)(i), the maximum’’; and 

19 (ii) by striking ‘‘or in the case’’ and 

20 all that follows through ‘‘subparagraph 

21 (C)),’’; and 

22 (C) by striking subparagraph (C) and in23 serting the following new subparagraph (C): 

24 ‘‘(C)(i) With respect to loans described in subclause 

25 (IV) of subparagraph (A)(i) made to a veteran not covered 

26 by clause (ii), the maximum amount of guaranty entitle-
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1 ment available to the veteran shall be 25 percent of the 

2 loan. 

3 ‘‘(ii) With respect to loans described in subclause 

4 (IV) of subparagraph (A)(i) made to a covered veteran, 

5 the maximum amount of guaranty entitlement available 

6 to the veteran shall be 25 percent of the Freddie Mac con7 forming loan limit, reduced by the amount of entitlement 

8 previously used by the veteran under this chapter and not 

9 restored as a result of the exclusion in section 3702(b) 

10 of this title. 

11 ‘‘(iii) In this subparagraph: 

12 ‘‘(I) The term ‘covered veteran’ means a vet13 eran who has previously used entitlement under this 

14 chapter and for whom the full amount of entitlement 

15 so used has not been restored as a result of the ex16 clusion in section 3702(b) of this title. 

17 ‘‘(II) The term ‘Freddie Mac conforming loan 

18 limit’ means the limit determined under section 

19 305(a)(2) of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Cor20 poration Act (12 U.S.C. 1454(a)(2)) for a single21 family residence, as adjusted for the year involved.’’. 

22 (2) LOANS TO NATIVE AMERICAN VETERANS.— 

23 Section 3762(c) of such title is amended— 

24 (A) by striking paragraph (1); and 
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1 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 

2 (3) as paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively. 

3 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

4 3710(d)(4) of such title is amended by striking ‘‘sec5 tion 3703(a)(1)(B) of this title’’ and inserting ‘‘sub6 paragraph (B) or (C) of section 3703(a)(1) of this 

7 title’’. 

8 (b) ADJUSTMENT OF LOAN FEES.—Section 

9 3729(b)(2) of title 38, United States Code, is amended 

10 by striking the loan fee table and inserting the following: 

‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(A)(i) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after October 

1, 2004, and before January 1, 

2020) 

2.15 2.40 NA 

(A)(ii) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after January 

1, 2020, and before January 1, 

2022) 

2.30 2.30 NA 

(A)(iii) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after January 

1, 2022, and before October 1, 

2029) 

2.15 2.15 NA 
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‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(A)(iv) Initial loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 0-down, or any other 

initial loan described in section 

3710(a) other than with 5-down or 

10-down (closed on or after October 

1, 2029) 

1.40 1.40 NA 

(B)(i) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after October 1, 2004, and before 

January 1, 2020) 

3.30 3.30 NA 

(B)(ii) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

January 1, 2022) 

3.60 3.60 NA 

(B)(iii) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after January 1, 2022, and before 

October 1, 2029) 

3.30 3.30 NA 

(B)(iv) Subsequent loan described in 

section 3710(a) to purchase or construct a dwelling with 0-down, or 

any other subsequent loan described 

in section 3710(a) (closed on or 

after October 1, 2029) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(C)(i) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed before 

January 1, 2020) 

1.50 1.75 NA 

(C)(ii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

January 1, 2022) 

1.65 1.65 NA 

(C)(iii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2022, and before 

October 1, 2029) 

1.50 1.50 NA 

(C)(iv) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 5-down (closed on or 

after October 1, 2029) 

0.75 0.75 NA 
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‘‘Type of loan Active duty 

veteran Reservist Other obligor 

(D)(i) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed before 

January 1, 2020) 

1.25 1.50 NA 

(D)(ii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2020, and before 

January 1, 2022) 

1.40 1.40 NA 

(D)(iii) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after January 1, 2022, and before 

October 1, 2029) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(D)(iv) Loan described in section 

3710(a) to purchase or construct a 

dwelling with 10-down (closed on or 

after October 1, 2029) 

0.50 0.50 NA 

(E) Interest rate reduction refinancing 

loan 

0.50 0.50 NA 

(F) Direct loan under section 3711 1.00 1.00 NA 

(G) Manufactured home loan under 

section 3712 (other than an interest 

rate reduction refinancing loan) 

1.00 1.00 NA 

(H) Loan to Native American veteran 

under section 3762 (other than an 

interest rate reduction refinancing 

loan) 

1.25 1.25 NA 

(I) Loan assumption under section 

3714 

0.50 0.50 0.50 

(J) Loan under section 3733(a) 2.25 2.25 2.25’’. 

1 (c) WAIVER OF FEES FOR PURPLE HEART RECIPI2 ENTS.—Section 3729(c)(1) of such title is amended— 

3 (1) by striking ‘‘or from a surviving spouse’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘, from a surviving spouse’’; and 

5 (2) by inserting before the period at the end the 

6 following: ‘‘, or from a member of the Armed Forces 

7 who is serving on active duty and who provides, on 

8 or before the date of loan closing, evidence of having 

9 been awarded the Purple Heart’’. 
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1 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall apply with respect to a loan guaranteed 

3 under section 3710 of title 38, United States Code, on 

4 or after January 1, 2020. 

5 (e) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of title 

6 38, United States Code, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs 

7 may issue guidance to implement this section before pre8 scribing new regulations under sections 3703, 3729, and 

9 3762 of such title, as amended by this section. 

10 SEC. 7. INFORMATION GATHERING FOR DEPARTMENT OF 

11 VETERANS AFFAIRS HOME LOAN APPRAIS12 ALS. 

13 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3731(b) of title 38, 

14 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 

15 following new paragraph: 

16 ‘‘(3) The Secretary shall permit an appraiser on a 

17 list developed and maintained under subsection (a)(3) to 

18 make an appraisal for the purposes of this chapter based 

19 solely on information gathered by a person with whom the 

20 appraiser has entered into an agreement for such serv21 ices.’’. 

22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

23 this section shall apply with respect to an appraisal under 

24 section 3731 of such title, on or after January 1, 2020. 
24 

•HR 299 EH

1 (c) GUIDANCE.—Notwithstanding section 501 of such 

2 title, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may issue guidance 

3 to implement this section before prescribing new regula4 tions under sections 3731 of such title, as amended by 

5 subsection (a). 

6 SEC. 8. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 

7 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 

8 complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 

9 shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 

10 titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 

11 Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 

12 by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro13 vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 

14 vote on passage. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 14, 2019. 

Attest: 

Clerk. 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 299 

AN ACT 

To amend title 38, United States Code, to clarify 

lic of Vietnam, and for other purposes. veterans who served in the vicinity of the Repubpresumptions relating to the exposure of certain